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STATE OF WASHINGTON 

Department of Conservation and Development 
D. A. SCOTT Director 



DIVISION OF GEOLOGY 

S. SHEDD, Supervisor 



BULLETIN No. 26 

(Geological Series) 

Underground Water 
Supply 

Of the Region About White Bluffs 
and Hanford 



By OLAF P. JENKINS 




OLYMPIA 
PRANK M. LAMBORN <i( i ^ ffi > > PUBLIC PRINTER 
1922 



Moaoarr 



STATE OF WASHINGTON 

Department of Conservation and Development 
D. A. SCOTT Director 

DIVISION OF GEOLOGY, 

S. SHEDD, Supervisor 



BULLETIN No. 26 

(Geological Series) 

Underground Water 
Supply 



Of the Region About White Bluffs 
and Hanford 



By OLAF P. JENKINS 




OLTMPIA 
FRANK M. LAMBORN aggg^la PUBLIC PRINTER 

1922 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
RECEIVED 

JUN 301922 

DOCUMENTS .. 



DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION 



DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 

I). A. SCOTT, Director 
Olympia 

FRED W. AGATZ, Assistant Director 
Olympia 



DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES 

MARVIN CHASE, Supervisor 

Olympia 



DIVISION OF RECLAMATION- 
DIVISION OF COLUMBIA BASIN" SURVEY 

IVAN E. GOODNER, Chief" Engineer 



DIVISION OF FORESTRY 

F. E. PAPE, Supervisor 
Olympia 



DIVISION OF GEOLOGY 

S. SJHEDD, Supervisor 
Pullman 



DIVISION OF COLUMBIA BASIN SURVEY 

FRED A. ADAMS, Supervisor 
Spokane 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Hon. D. A. Scott, Director, Department of Conservation 
and Development, Olympia, Washington: 

Sir: I am transmitting herewith the manuscript of 
a report on the Underground Water Supply of the Region 
About White Bluff's and Hanforcl. This work was done 
at your request in order to help determine the selection 
of tracts of land, for soldier settlement, where irrigation 
is possible. 

On account of the somewhat general character of this 

work and in the hope that it may be of value in helping 

to solve similar problems in other localities, I suggest 

that it be published as a Bulletin of the Division of 

Geology. 

Yours respectfully, 

S. Shedd, 

Supervisor of Qeology. 

College Station, Pullman, 
April 26, 1922. 



TABLK OF CONTEXTS. 



Page 

I NTRODUCTION 7 

Purpose 7 

Location 7 

Conclusions 7 

Conditions 8 

Source of data 9 

Explanation of the map 10 

Geological Features 12 

Description of the geological formations 12 

Geological history 15 

The Water Table 16 

Tabulation of well data 16 

Explanation and reliability of the data 16 

Tabulated data of the wells about White Bluffs and Hanford. 18 

Remarks 21 

Example of replenishment 22 

Log of well drilled at Ringold 22 

Remarks 23 

Log of first artesian well near Cold Creek 23 

Remarks 24 

Interpretation of data 26 

Fluctuation of the water table 28 

Floor of the ground water 28 

Seepages and flowing springs on the bank of the Columbia River 30 

Source of the Underground Water 32 

Principal supply 32 

Secondary supply 32 

Local supply 32 

Possible supply 32 

Recoioiexdations 34 

Location of water wells for irrigation 34 

Up-keep of the wells 35 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Plate. Page 
I. Map of White Bluffs-Hanford District, showing features relat- 
ing to underground water supply In pocket 

II a. The Columbia River at China Bar, showing the kind of gravel 

into which much of the water of the river soaks 14 

II b. Discharge of ground water into an arm of the river. One of 

the springs in Sec. 23, T. 13, R. 27 E 14 

III a. An exposure of sand and gravel near Coyote Rapids. This is 
the sort of material through which the ground water of the 
region passes 25 

III b. Water being pumped from well No. 60 by electric power 25 

Figure. 

1. Curves comparing consumption of irrigation water to rise of 

water in Columbia River, 1920 29 



INTRODUCTION 

PURPOSE 

All investigation of the underground water supply of 
the region about White Bluffs and Hanford was made 
in order to ascertain the permanency and sufficiency of 
this supply for the lands of the district, relative to the 
Soldier Land Settlement Project. The results of the work 
are presented in this report and it is hoped that they 
will be of value in the future development of this region. 
Besides, the geological principles involved in this study 
may be applied to many other regions located in similar 
positions along the ancient flood plains of the Columbia 
River. 

LOCATION 

The towns of Hanford and White Bluffs are located 
on an ancient and extensive alluvial flood plain of the 
Columbia River on the inside of a sharp bend in this 
river 30 or 40 miles north in a straight line from Kenne- 
wick, in the northern corner of Benton County. Although 
these towns are generally reached by stage from Kenne- 
wick, a branch line of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. 
Paul Railroad extends south from Beverly, which is on 
the main line, to Hanford. 

CONCLUSIONS 

From this study I have come to the following con- 
clusions : 

1. That the principal source of the underground 
water of this region is the Columbia River. 

2. That the alluvial gravels of the district are 
probably supplied with water principally during the 
time when the river is at its highest level. 

3. That the river probably charges the alluvial 
gravels with water principally in the region west of 
White Bluffs and probably above Coyote Rapids. 



Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 



4. That sucli a source insures the sufficiency and 
permanency of the water supply desired by those who 
wish to secure water for irrigation purposes by means 
of pumping from wells. 

5. That the water table will probably not be lowered 
materially by local pumping for irrigation. 

6. That the migration or seepage of water through 
the sands and gravels of the district takes place fairly 
rapidly. 

7. That the floor upon which the alluvial gravels 
rest is probably composed of clay or shale and fine sand 
similar to that material in the White Bluffs across the 
river, and in some places basalt, similar to that on Gable 
Mountain. 

8. That the water table is at its highest mark when 
the irrigation need is greatest, and is at its lowest mark 
in winter time. 

9. That the depth, to water, in a well in this region 
depends upon the height of the general water table at 
a given time and upon the elevation of the surface where 
the well is to be dug. 

10. That the Hanford Irrigation Ditch affects only 
locally the height of the water table by raising it in 
regions where the ditch leaks. 

CONDITIONS 

According to the plan of the State Soldier Settlement 
Project, each tract of land should be 20 acres in size and 
should be provided with a well for irrigation purposes, 
with a pump adequate in size to deliver water from the 
well to meet the demands of the entire tract. These 
lands under consideration are shown on the accompany- 
ing map. 

The Consumers' Ditch Company reports that the 
amount of water they delivered per acre over the entire 
season of 1920 was 49.72 inches. The amount of water 



/ r nderground Water Supply 9 



needed, however, varies with each individual case 1 1 is 
said that 64 acre inches would be sufficient for any case 
The irrigation period is from April 1st to October 31st, 
but the great demand is during July and August, when 
the use would equal 96 to 126 acre inches if continued at 
that rate over the whole season. 

For a 20-acre tract, the use of a 4-inch pump has been 
recommended, designed for 325 gallons per minute, with 
a total head of 40 feet, and connected directly to a 5 
horse-power motor. 

These data should give some idea of the supply of 
underground water necessary to meet the demands of 
the project. 

SOURCE OF DATA 

A large amount of working material was supplied the 
writer by Mr. D. S. Wilkinson of White Bluffs and Mr. 
Charles M. Sanford of Hanford. This consisted of well 
data, a detailed topographic map of the most important 
part of the region not covered by the maps of the U. S. 
Geological Survey, and statistical information regarding 
the fluctuation of the river level, and the varying amounts 
of water used by the Consumers' Ditch Company of that 
region. In addition to this material a considerable 
amount of miscellaneous data was secured with the help 
of these two gentlemen, who also assisted very materially 
in the measurement of the depth of the wells and the 
depth of the water level in each of the accessible wells 
of the region. We visited 180 wells, but 47 of these we 
were unable to sound. In only one or two cases are the 
recorded soundings not our own. 

The published material concerning the region under 
discussion consists of the following: 

Kocher and Strahorn: Soil Survey of Benton County, Wash. U. S. 

Dept. of Agric-ulture. 1919. 
Topographic Maps of the U. S. Geol. Survey: Coyote Rapids Quadrangle 

and Priest Rapids Quadrangle. 



10 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 

Merriam and Buwalda: Age of Strata Referred to the Ellensburg 
Formation in the White Bluffs of the Columbia River. Univ. 
of Calif. Publ., Bull, of the Dept. of Geol., Vol. 10, No. 15, pp. 
255-266. 1917. 

Campbell, M. R. : Guidebook of the Western United States. Part A, 
The Northern Pacific Route. U. S. Geol. Survey, Bull. 611. 1915. 

Waring, Gerald A.: Geology and Water Resources of a Portion of 
South-Central Washington. U. S. Geol. Sur., Water-Supply Paper 
No. 316. 1913. 

Calkins, Frank C: Geology and Water Resources of a Portion of East- 
Central Washington. U. S. Geol. Sur., Water-Supply and Irr. 
Paper No. 118. 1905. 

Russell, I. C. : A Geological Reconnoissance in Central Washington. 
U. S. Geol. Sur., Bull. 108. 1893. 

EXPLANATION QF THE MAP 

The map which is included in this report has been 
compiled from several sources of information. The 
more detailed portion, the eastern half, was taken from 
a map prepared by the Hanford Irrigation Project, 
originally drawn for the purpose of showing soil classi- 
fication. The rest of the map was compiled from topo- 
graphic sheets of the United States Geological Survey 
(Coyote Rapids and Priest Rapids quadrangles) and the 
Soil Survey of Benton County, issued by the United 
States Department of Agriculture. Other maps from 
which data were obtained were supplied also from the 
information gathered by the Hanford Irrigation and 
Power Co. The location of the wells was made by Mr. 
Charles M. Sanford, while the depths of the wells were 
sounded by Mr. Sanford and Mr. D. S. Wilkinson, work- 
ing together with the writer. The elevation of the sur- 
face of each well was obtained through rough computa- 
tion from the position of the well relative to the contours 
drawn on the original maps. The numbers of the wells 
have been taken arbitrarily for reference. All data con- 
cerning the elevation or depth of the water level in the 
wells, on the surface of the river, and on the surface of 
the seepages, were taken during the same interval of 



Underground Water Supply 11 



time, namely, between October L9th and October 26th, 

so that a fair comparison is thus made in the interpreta- 
tion of the position of the water table in reference to 
river elevation. 

There is an inconsistency in the map in relation to 
contour intervals, owing to a different source of compiled 
data. In the western portion of this map '25-foot contours 
are recorded, whereas to the east, 10-foot contours have 
been drawn. It is thought that this information, though 
it does not tie properly across the map, is of value in the 
consideration of the problem as a whole. 

The locations on the map of the settlement lands 
under consideration were obtained during the time the 
field work was done, and it is probable they may be 
changed after further consideration of the project. 

Geological features, secured through field work, are 
also represented on the map. The formations are de- 
lineated by contact lines which are drawn on the map. 
The principal formations are : ( 1 ) the basalt which 
makes up the non-irrigable high hills of the dis- 
trict; (2) the lake bed formation which is exposed out- 
side of the particular area under consideration, but 
which probably underlies the gravels of the district; (3) 
the old river flood plain of sand and gravel material, upon 
which the lands under consideration are located and in 
which the wells are dug; and (4) the present river bed 
which is covered completely at high water level. 

The lines showing the axes of an anticline and a 
syncline in the basalt are of interest only in connection 
with the general structure of the basalt and the position 
of the artesian wells thus related. The anticline is a 
great arch in the basalt layer. The syncline is a struc- 
tural trough (not necessarily topographical) also in the 
basalt. 



GEOLOGICAL FEATUEES 

DESCRIPTION OF THE GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS 

A long ridge of basalt, running in an east and west 
direction, extends from the south side of the river at 
Priest Rapids towards Hanford. It is covered in its 
very lowest parts, or saddles, by this old flood plain of 
alluvium so that prominent peaks such as Gable Butte 
and the sharp ridge known as Gable Mountain stand out 
as great islands in this extensive desert-like area. The 
basalt layers which make up these ridges have been 
tilted from their original horizontal positions to various 
angles and now, in some places, stand nearly on end. 
The basalt rocks comprise the oldest formation exposed 
in the region. 

On the eastern side of the river are high bluffs of an 
evenly stratified sedimentary formation composed of 
clays, fine silts, and sand. The uppermost layers, those 
which comprise most of the bluff, are lying in a flat or 
horizontal position. Beneath them, exposed in a more 
limited area, are sedimentary beds somewhat similar to 
the horizontal layers in content, but which are tilted 
steeply and are overlain unconformably by the later flat- 
lying bedded formation. All these sediments represent 
deposition in lakes. The lower beds represent an older 
lake deposit whose age is probably the same as that of 
the basalt, having been thrown into folds similar to those 
of the basalt. The upper horizontally lying lake beds, 
whose white escarpment has suggested the name "White 
Bluffs", are much younger in age but are older than the 
gravels of the great river plain. In places near the foot 
of the bluffs, exposures give proof that these river 
gravels overlie the lake bed formation, thus proving the 
relative age of the formations. 

The great deltaic alluvial plain extends from the river 
on the east to the foot of the Rattlesnake Hills on the 



Underground Water Supply 13 

west, along the line from China Bar at the north to a 
sharp bend in the Yakima River at the south, toward 
Richland. During the close of the glacial period the 
Columbia River must have carried a vast amount of 
water, together with an immense load of sand and gravel. 
It appears that the river entered this region after pass- 
ing through a narrow gorge (Saddle Mountain and 
Priest Rapids), and discharged or spread out over this 
wider district which had been formerly an old lake bed. 
The river, thus slackened in its speed at this position, 
deposited a large part of its tremendous load of gravel 
and sand. The various courses which the river took are 
evident over this area in the form of long channels, or 
depressed areas in the alluvium, running from west to 
east. One old channel of the Columbia River appears to 
have been on the western edge of this territory and evi- 
dently took the course which the Yakima River now takes 
from a point in its sharp bend at The Horn to the place 
where it now enters the present Columbia River. An- 
other old conspicuous channel occurs on the south and 
cast side of Gable Mountain. In its lowest point there is 
a spring which is said to flow during the time of the year 
when the river is higher than it was when this investiga- 
tion was made. The elevation of the position of this 
spring is 400 feet, which is a little higher than the water 
table was found to be at that time, and that fact probably 
accounts for the spring not issuing when the river is low. 

The present river gravel bars, over which the river 
flows at its highest point, represent the youngest portion 
of the more extensive and older flood plain. AH these 
gravels and sands are very coarse, and the interstices 
between the boulders are large. Thus the ground water 
may pass through this material readily. 

Although this underground water does not travel in 
open channels, there may be, however, certain areas in 
which coarser material occurs and through which the 



14 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 



Division of Geology 



Bulletin No. 26. Plate II. 




a. The Columbia River at China Bar, showing the kind of gravel into which 
much of the water of the river soaks. 




b. Discharge of ground water into an arm of the river. One of the springs in 
Sec. 23, T. 13, R. 27 E. 



Underground Water Supply L5 

water would thus puss more rapidly. It is quite possible, 
therefore, for the ground water to be more abundant in 
certain places than in others. 

GEOLOGICAL HISTORY 

The extensive lake deposits of silt, clay and tint' sand, 
represented in the north bluffs of the river, were prob- 
ably formed before the glacial period. The older of the 
two lake bed formations, exposed in this escarpment, is 
known as the Ellensburg formation of Miocene age, 
while the younger flat-lying beds comprise the Ringold 
formation of late Pliocene or early Pleistocene age. The 
younger of the two lakes was formed probably by the 
damming of the former Columbia River by earth dis- 
turbances which caused east-west folds in the basalt 
series to be thrown across this drainage system. These 
folds are clearly exposed, such as that along the con- 
tinuation of the ridge of which Gable Mountain forms a 
segment, and the ridge known as the Rattlesnake Hills. 
The lake was undoubtedly drained and a new river course 
established, cutting through these sediments, before the 
great ice sheet to the north was formed. This ice sheet 
later caused the Columbia River to take a different course 
by way of the Grand Coulee and the channel now known 
as Crab Creek. After the ice melted, the Columbia River 
resumed its former position, approximately, and evi- 
dently was filled with a tremendous amount of water and 
sediment which caused the action in the formation of the 
deltaic flood plain. 

The gravel of the alluvial plain therefore overlies not 
only the basalt, as that which forms Gable Mountain, but 
it overlies the lake bed deposits. The floor of the gravel 
is thus a quite impervious material, composed largely of 
clay. This also serves as the floor of the ground water 
of this region. 



THE WATER TABLE 

TABULATION OP WELL DATA 

Explanation and reliability of the data. The numbers 
in the first column of the list which follows have been 
arbitrarily taken for reference to the wells. In the sec- 
ond column, the names refer to the owners of the wells 
or to the name of the property on which the well is 
located. The next three columns are grouped together 
as "well location" and are given together as an index to 
the finding of the well in reference to the map (section, 
township, and range). The next two columns are de- 
voted to the depth to the bottom of the well and the depth 
to the surface of the water in the well. Wherever both 
these figures are given this information was obtained by 
lowering a sounding line in the well itself and measuring 
the distance from the surface to the bottom and from the 
surface to the level of the water. These data were col- 
lected in the field during October 19 to October 26, 1921. 
Where the depth to water is not given the well was not 
sounded, excepting in one or two cases where authentic 
information was obtained. 

In the next three columns are given the elevation in 
feet above sea level. In the first of these the elevation 
of the surface of the ground at the location of the well 
has been computed from topographic maps. The figures 
in the second column of this series have been obtained 
by subtracting the depth to water level in the well from 
the elevation of the surface of the ground. The third 
column of this series refers to the elevation of the level 
of the river at a point nearest the location of the well. 
It has been computed from two elevations — one at Coyote 
Rapids and the other at Hanford Sub-station — taking 
into acount the general gradual fall of the river from the 
upper point to the lower. Thus, the elevation of the 



Underground Water Supply 17 



water table given in the second column of this scries can 
be compared to the elevation of the nearesl point in the 
river. 

The next column, marked "Do. or [rr.," refers to the 
words domestic or irrigation. In the first case it is 
meant thai the well is used for domestic purposes, and 
in the second for irrigation, in the column entitled 
"Well Size" the figures refer to feet, excepting those 
which are indicated ("). Following this column is one 
marked "G'ls. Per Alin.," which means gallons per minute 
and refers to the amount of water which is generally 
pumped during the summer months from the well. The 
last column, entitled "Acrs.," shows the number of acres 
watered by the irrigation wells. 

The blank spaces which are left in this table have 
been left blank because no accurate data were procured. 

The most important feature of this table is that this 
information concerning the water within the wells has 
been obtained during a given time, and any further in- 
formation which may later be obtained concerning the 
water level cannot be included in this list without chang- 
ing its meaning. That is to say, the water table, or 
elevation of the water level within the wells, fluctuates 
from time to time so that an elevation of the water level 
in one well must be compared to that in another well 
during the same interval of time. Also, the elevation 
of the river must be compared to the elevation of the 
water table during the same interval. 



18 



Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 



TABULATED DATA OF WELLS ABOUT WHITE BLUFFS AND HANFORD 



No. 


NAME 


Well 
Location 


Depth to 


Approximate 
Elevation of 


Do. 
or 
Irr. 


Well 
Size 


G'ls. 
per 
Min. 


fi 




Sec. 


T. 


R. 


Bot. 


Wtr. 


Sur. 


Wtr. 


River 


<! 


1 


H. F. Paschen 

A. Wheeler 


SE 1R 
NE 15 
SW15 
SE 15 
SW1R 
NE15 
NW15 
NW15 
NE16 
NE16 
NE 16 
SE 9 
SW15 
SW15 
NW22 
NW22 


13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
12 
12 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 


27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27" 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
2S 
28 
28 
28 
28 
2S 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
2S 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
26 
27 
27 
27 


22! 


16 


385 

389 

393 

390 

38R 

390 

392 

390 

392 

391 

3S0 

390 

40S 

410 

410 

411 

401 

400 

401 

405 

405 

406 

410 

407 

400 

395? 

410 

412 

401 

412 

400 

411 

409 

410 

401 

400 

399 

395 

396 

403 

409 

415 

413 

389 

391 

394 

396 

398 

405 

396 

400 

410 

420? 

402 

380 

403 

410 

363 

440 

432 

410 

400 

391 

392 

390 


369 

372 
370 
360 
374 
375 
374 

370 
371 
369 
370 
370 
365 

370 

369 

368 

369 

370 

369 

371? 

367 

366 
369 

365 

368 
370 
369 

368 

371 

379 
364 
365 

362 

363 

363 
360? 
352 
350 

374 

394 

370 

376 
376 

374 


357 
358 
357 
357 
357 
357 
358 
358 
358 
358 
358 
359 
357 
357 
357 
357 
356 
355 
356 
356 
356 
356 
355 
355 
355 1 
356 
355 
556 
354 
355 
355 
355' 
355 
355 
354 
354 
354 
354 
353 
353 
353 
3R3 
353 
3R2 
3R3 
352 
352 
352 
352 
352 
352 
352 
351 
351 
350 
354 
357 
358 
357 
358 
357 
384 
359 
359 
359 


I 

D 

I 

D 

D 

I 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

D 

I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

D 

I 

D 

I 

D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 


7x7 
12" 
24" 
4x4 
4x4 
6x6 
4x4 
4x4 
18" 






9, 






3 


B. Riegle 


30 

28! 

34 

22 

22 

21 

22 

50 

26 

22 

44 

50 

4S 

494 

444 

48 

45 

424 

43* 

46 

48 

42 

36! 

31 

50 

53 

43 

53J 

424 

48' 

66 

40 

4R 

38! 

36 

32! 

49 

41 

44 

50' 

414 

33 

33 

3-2 

37 

40 

46 

46 

45 

50 

64 

56 

34! 

44 

47 

57 

51 

73 


20! 

20 

25! 

16! 

17 

16! 

20 
37 
41 
40 
41 
36 

354 

36 

38 

414 

37! 

31 

24 

43 

35! 
43 
35 

32 
29 
26 

35 

44 
34 
25 
26! 

34 
35 

47 
604 
50 
30> 

36? 

46 
62 


2R0 


23 


4 






5 


P. E. Olleman 

0. W. Johnston 

C. Snyder 






6 






7 






8 


L. T. Brooks 






P 






10 


J. Witte 






n 


J. Witte 


4x4 
4x4 
6x6 
6x6 
4x5 
12" 
12" 

34x34 
3x4 
6x6 

44x54 
5x5 
4x5 
4xR 
12" 
6x6 
6x6 
3x4 
12" 
8" 
4x4 
12" 
4x4 
3x4 
12" 
4x4 
12" 
3x4 






i? 


H. Brown 






is 




200 
360 
100 


10 
20 
10 


14 
15 


D. O. Buekholdt 

E. Grant 


16 


F. B. Hicks 


17 








IS 


C. Beeg 


SE 22 

SE 22 






19 


C. Hart 






90 








21 
22 
23 
24 


W. R. Adamson 

J. F. Conkle 

R, W. McDonnell.... 

R. W. McDonnell 

H. E. Purington. . . . 

G: E. Burford 

L. H. Olark 

O. Daregio 

W. H. Wehmeier.... 
J. M. Olark 


SW 23 
SW23 
SW23 
SW 23 
SE 23 
NE 23 
SE 23 
SE 21 
NE26 
NE 26 
NW2W 
NE 26 
NE 26 
NE 26 
SE 26 
SE 26 
SW25 
SW25 
NE 36 
NE 36 
NW36 
NE 36 
SW25 
NW31 
NW31 
NW31 
NW31 
NW31 
NW31 
SW31 
SW31 
SW31 
NE 6 
NE 6 


175 

250 
250 




25 






26 

27 


185 
215 


11 


20 






30 






31 


J. E. Evett 






32 


A. G. Evett 

N. P. Anglin 






33 






34 


A. Simpson 

G. McConnachie 

A. McConnachie 

J. Macomber 

C. L. McGlanghlin. 
M. W. Gross 






35 






36 






37 






38 






39 






40 
41 


M. W. Gross 

J. O. Syflord 

G. T. Slavins 

John Blackler 

O. Rolph 

W. H. Rolph 

C. W. Sloan 


4x4 
8" 
4x4 
14" 
4x4 
4x4 
4x4 
4x4 
12" 
12" 
8" 


420 




4? 






43 






44 






45 






46 






47 


B. O. Root 

O. G. Root 






48 






49 


John Loson 

W. S. Webber 

O. E. Briggs 






50 






51 






5? 


W. P. Morrison, .. 

Mark Whelan 

Mark Whelan 


16" 
RxR 






53 






54 






55 


3!x34 
12" 






56 


H. K. Boie 


SE 26 

NE 20' 
NE 18 
NE 20 
SE 17 
SE 17 
NE 22 
SW 9 
SW 9 
SW 9 




57 


A. H. Zane 


325 




58 


C. Daregio 

A. W. Ely 




51 


6x6 
8xS 


400 
1100 




60 
61 


J. H. DeVeurve . . . 
J. H. DeVeurve 




6? 


20 
41 
19 
204 


15 
16! 

16 


Rx5 

30" 
3x4 
3x4 






63 


A. Grell 






64 








fin 


L. C. Krug 













Underground Water Supply 



L9 



TABULATED DATA Ol 



WKI.LS Ai:< »UT WHITE BLUFFS ANN EIANFOR 
< lontiniied. 



No. 


NAME 


Well 
Location 


Depth to 


Approximate 
Elevation of 


Do. 
or 
Irr. 


Well 
Size 


G'ls. 

per 

Min. 






Sec. 


T. 


R. 


Bot. 


Wtr. 


Sur. 


Wtr. 


River 




66 


1> .1 Burch 


NE 7 
NE 8 
SE 5 
NE .1 
NK 5 
N\V .1 
NK. 8 
N\V 6 
NE 1 
NE 1 
SE 32 

NE 32 
NE 32 
NE 32 
KTW32 
SW29 
SW29 
SW29 
SW29 
NE 29 
NW29 
N"W29 
NW29 
NW29 
NW29 
NW29 
SW 20 
SW2i> 
S \Y 2i 
SW 20 


13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 

\i 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
13 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 


27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
26 
26 
27 
27 
27 
•27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
27 
26 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 


25 

31 

23 

34 

Is 

30 

16 

34 

44 

36 

3U 

28 

22 

12 

25 

20 

22 

38 

28 

32 

29 

30 

28 

37 

30 

304 

■36| 

40 

42 

50 

20 

16 

Hi 

36 

35 

32 

27 

26 


14 
24 
14 

9 

17 
9 

36 
26 
121 

5 
19 

61 

10 
24 
221 

171 

27 

17 

31 

24 

26 

31J 

35 

36 

371 


420 

410 

403 

4i i2 

400 

4111 

39S 

434 

440 

430 

398 

396 

400? 

3<>7y 

395 

394 

399 

412 

410 

400 

400 

405 

404 

410 

410 

410 

410 

410 

410 

410 


106 

386 
389 

391 

393 

389 

4ii4 
4(i4 
386 
391 
3S1 
391 

389 
388 
382 

383 
378 
387 
379 
386 
384 
379 
375 
374 
373 


361 
360 

31 11 
362 
363 
363 
361 
364 
364 
364 
363 
362 
363 
363 
M64 
Mill 
364 
364 
364 
364 
364 
365 
365 
365 
365 
365 
365 
365 
366 
366 
366 
366 
366 
367 
367 
367 
367 
367 
..367 


D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

I 

D 

D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

I 

D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

D 

I 

1 

D 

I) 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

I 


3x3 
32" 
3X4 
10" 
4x4 
10" 
4x4 
6x6 
6x6 
6x6 
3" 
4" 
4x4 
5x5 






67 


K E Grant 


200 




68 






69 


J. F. Bleakley 

E. C. Coleman 

M Taylor .. 






70 






71 






72 


N. D. Showalter 

E. Anderson 

Hanfonl Ranch — 
Hanford Ranch .... 
C. Rackliff 






73 






74 
75 
76 
77 


750 
450 
250 
250 


40 
38 


7S 






79 


J. P. Weber 

Thos. Williams 

J. A. Johnson 

Chas. Whitney ... 






80 






81 








82 


4' rd. 

4x4 
3x3 
2x3 
3x4 
2Jx3 
5x6 
5x5 
4x4 






83 






84 


R. W. Gruenhagen.. . 

C. C. Richard 

Chas. Whitney 




85 






86 

S7 


260 




88 


R. D. Barge 


150 




Rq 


J. B. Tromanhauser 
J. B. Tromanhauser 
C Eilertson 




90 






<>1 






q? 


M. P. O'Brien 

G. W. Shaw 






<'■? 


4x4 
6x6 
4x4 
6x6 

Pipe 
4x4 

:;.'\:;'. 

3x3 

2" 

4x4 

18" 






94 


J. Tromanhauser... 
J. Tromanhauser. . . 






95 






96 






97 














98 




33 

22 
21 


410 
421 
410 
413 
41.3 
420 
4H!I 
410 
41(i 
410 
415 
410 
432 
432 
415 
416 
415 
417 
415 
420 
419 
409 
426 
3S9 


388 

393 

399 






99 


C. C. Coleman .... 
P. D. Edwards 


NWld 
NE 19 
SW 1!» 
SW19 

SW 1!( 
SE 19 
SE 19 

NE 31 

NE 31 

NE 31 

X\\:;ii 
NE 38 
NE 36 
NE 25 
SW 24 
NE 24 
NE 25 
SW :-!2 

SW 9 

SE 18 
SE 18 
SE 18 
NE 18 
NE 18 
NE IS 
8W18 
SW1S 






10(1 






101 






102 








103 


Wm. Gregory 

A. E. Hunt 






1(14 






105 


32 

20 

25 
52 

36J 
17 

20 


251 

281 
16 
19 
20 

3.3 
14 


385 
::-■_' 
394 
396 
390 

399 

401 

396 
394 
387 
389 
389 
392 
3S5 


366 
366 
364 
364 
364 
364 
364 
365 
365 
365 
366 
367 
368 
366 
363 
368 
359 
367 
367 
368 
368 
368 
368 
368 
368 
368 


6x6 
6x6 

10x10 
4x4 
4x4 
4x4 






106 








107 


Town Well No. 1.... 
Town Well No. 2.... 
W. P. Inv. Co , , 

Robt. Nitzsehe . . . 
Van Viet" . 






108 






109 






110 






111 






IV 1 


3x4 






ns 






114 


J. E. Tedford 

-Joseph Kiser 

S. V. Fanning 

C. M. Johnson 

A. F. Peck 








116 


27 
33J 
44 
35 
35 
42 
9 
44 
36 
46 
42 
50 
42 
23 
44 
26 


21 

211 

33 

30 
20 
34 
4 
37 


4x6 
v\* 
6x6 
6x6 
5x5 
6x6 
6x6 
4x6 
8x8 
8" 
6" 
4x4 
6" 
6x6 
6x6 
18" 






117 
118 


1000 


50 


119 


250 
200 


15 


120 
121 
122 


R. R. Woods 

F. J. Bonn 


22 
25 
15 


123 


L. W. Belden 

L. E. Bishop 

H. E. Robinson 

E. N. Lov°land 

R. M. Williams 

E. Wade • 




r'4 






15 


125 










126 


39i 
46* 

17 
38 
181 










1 ,7 7 










1?8 


405? 








129 


R. H. Van Akin. . 


410 
423 
410 


393 
385 

392 






130 






131 




250 


16 











20 



Bulletin No. 3h, Division of Geology 



TABULATED DATA OP WELLS ABOUT WHITE BLUFFS AND HANFORD 

— Concluded. 



No. 


NAME 


Well 
Location 


Depth to 


Approximate 
Elevation of 


Do. 
or 
Irr. 


Well 
S;ze 


G'ls. 
per 

Min. 


i 




See. 


T. 


R. 


Bot. 


Wtr. 


Sur. 


Wtr. 


Ltdver 


«\ 


132 
133 


L. A. Codding 

G. N. Angle 


SW18 
SW IS 
NE 18 
SW 7 
SW 7 
SW 7 
SE 12 
SW12 
SW12 
NE14 
NE14 
NW14 
NW14 
NE 14 
NE 6 

NE 12 
NW12 

NE 11 
NW 4 
NW 4 
SE 5 
NE 12 
NE 11 
NE 14 
SW10 
SW26 
NE25 
NW36 
SE 10 
SE 23 
SE 19 
SW25 
SW25 
SE 19 
NW 5 
NE 4 
NW18 
SW12 
SW12 
NE 29 
SW21 
SE 9 
N"\\'2:-i 
NW25 
NW31 
NE IS 
SW1S 
NE25 


14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 

13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
14 
13 
13 
13 
14 
14 
14 
14 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
14 
14 
13 
13 
13 
13 
13 
14 
14 


27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
26 
26 
26 
26 
23 
26 
26 
26 
26 
26 
25 
25 
25 
25 
25 
25 
24 
24 
24 
24 
24 
26 
27 
27 
27 
27 
26 
26 
27 
'27 
25 
26 
25 
25 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
28 

2 l 
27 

26 


40' 
34 
42 
40 • 
39 

m 

' 40 
29 
36* 
27| 
S2 
28 
26 
51 
58 
60 
92 
72 
55 
41J 
35' 
66 
37 
34 
621 
44 
668 
26 
41 
34 
41 

2U 
22 
36 
£3 
42; 
146 
97 
941 
41 
14 


29 
28 
31 

. 34 
40 
37 
22 
27 
181 
20 

22 
41 

511 

37 
33 
59 
t 
32 
59 
40 

19 
35 
£01 
£2 
£6 
111 
14 
25 
20 
29 
141 
94 , 
92 
34 
13 


408 

409 

407? 

405? 

405? 

405? 

405? 

405? 

405? 

410? 

410? 

440 

440? 

435' 

440? 


379 
381 
376? 

"371? 
365? 
36S? 
383? 
378? 
392? 
390? 

418? 
394 


368 
338 
368 
370 
370 
370 
370 
371 
371 
3731 
373 
377 
377 
373 
384 
385 
£88 
387 
388 
. 394 
394 
395 
398 
402 
402 
404 
404 
366 
353 
358 
355 
366 
385 
365 
366 
£63 
394 
•384 
386 
386 
365 
365 
35? 
356 
354 
352 
361 
368 
366 


I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

D 

I 

I 

D 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 

D 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

D 

D 

D 

I 

D 

D 

D 

I 

I 


6x6 
3x3 
4x6 
4x4 
4x4 
31x31 
3x3 
6x6 
6x6 
8x8 
6x6 

7" 
4x5 
6x6 

4" 

4" 

4" 
5x6 
4x4 ' 
4x6 
4x5 
4x5 
3x9 
12" 
4x4 
4x4 
51" 
6x6 

3" 
4x4 
4x6 
4x4 
SxS 
8x8 

6" 
6x6 


100 
300 
225 


10 
25 


134 


R. W. Judd 


25 


13n 


F. M. Wsil 




136 






137 








138 


M. S. Msets 




139 


Hall Bros 


250 




140 






141 


E. Cords 


240 


21 


14'; ' 


Win. Moede 




143 


I. Wright 






144 

145 


Wm. C'oulson 

R, J. Roberts 

S. Allard 






146 






147 


Miller Ranch 

L, N. Fry.. . 


452? 








148 


473? 








149 


462? 




200 


9 


150 


E. F. Remlinger, , 

Austin Bros 

Austin Bros 

I. Von Hsrberg 

O. H. Jeagsr 

A. R. Knaub 


445? 
420? 
420? 
430'? 
426? 


394? 
383? 
387? 
371? 




151 
152 
153 
154 


1400 
800 

240 
240 


100 
45 


155 
156 


425? 
460? 
423? 
1020? 


393? 
401? 

383? 




157 


A. Knoll 


300 
10O0 




158 






1M 


F. M. Hill 


415 

405 

385 

398 

411 

418 

419 

410 

411 

418? 

537? 

490? 

488? 

408 

409 

390 

390? 

415 

393 

440 

410 

415 


396 

370 

3o5 

366 

375 

407 

405 

3S5 

391 

389? 

3.96? 

396? 

396? 

374 

396 

373? 

382 

355 

415 

398 

395 




160 


M. R. Slavons 

Whaley & Gregg.... 

M. B. Haynes 

W. H. Ksal 






161 






1fi.9; 






163 






164 


Mikel 






165 








166 


J. E. Coleman 

H. C. Henry 

Ed. Wagner 

R. D. Sapp 






167 






16S 






169 








170 










171 










172 


Thos. Brown 

H. Eilertson 

P. N. Henslay 

S. Garce 








173 








174 


36" 






175 


21 

45 

451 

30 

24 

24 


17 
33 

25" 
12 
20 






176 




30" 






177 


C. N. Larson 






178 








179 










180' 


Hill 



















t No Water. % Artesian. 



Underground Water Supply 



21 



Remarks. It was round thai in general these wells 
penet rated lirst a sandy or gravelly soil, then entered 
loose sand and gravel, without encountering any other 
material. In some eases a little clay was struck, hut nol 
often. 

In every case where information was obtained it was 
reported that the water in the well rose and Tell with the 
rise and fall of the Columbia River. Although the data 
regarding this feature are not very accurate, they are 
presented here for what they are worth. 



No. 
W( II 


Maximum 
Fluctuation 


No. 
Well 


Maximum 

Fluctuation 


14 
■1: 

■2.; 


in r < t 

5 feet 
4 feet 

6 feet 


35 
41 
56 
60 


9 feet 

In l> 1 

16 feet 
6 feet 



it is quite probable that the fluctuation is very nearly 
10 feet in most cases. 

At least 79 of the 180 wells of the district have been 
used for irrigation. In pumping from these wells by 
power it seems that the water was lowered a foot or so 
and then it reached a constant level, remaining there as 
long as the pumping was continued. These data, also, 
are only fragmental and approximate at the best. 



22 



Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 



No. Well 


Lowering Caused 
by Pumping 


H. P. 


Size Pump 
(inches) 


13 




5 

3 
10 
10 

10> 
3 
5 


3 


14 
15 


4 inches 


4 
21 


21 






22 
23 


few inches 


3 


26 

27 


15 inches • 

1 inch 

4 to 10 inches 

about 2 feet 


3 


40' 




60 
70 


40 

5 

15 
10 

5 

7i 

3 

3 
10 

5 

5 

3 

3 
20 

5 

3 


6 
4 


74 






75 






76 




3 


82 




6 


88 






116 




3 


117 




6 


129 




3 


139 






140 




3 


142 




3 


151 




6 


155 






159 













Example of replenishment. In the case of No. 60, I 
studied the action which took place in the well itself. A 
pump which drew from the well 1,100 gallons per minute 
lowered the water level nearly two feet, and then the 
water level remained constant. From the sides of the 
well the ground water was pouring in, replenishing it 
steadily. This is a good example of the way in which 
these wells are fed by the underground water supply. 

LOG OP WELL DRILLED AT RINGOLD 

Location. Ten miles southeast of Hanford, on north 
bank of Columbia River, near cross-roads by school- 
house, Sec. 25, T. 12 N., R. 28 E. 

Elevation. Drill hole, 430 feet above sea level. River, 
about 340 (Oct. 24, 1921). 

Purpose of Drilling. To obtain artesian water. 

Driller. N. C. Jannsen Drilling Company, 414 North- 
west Bank Building, Portland, Oregon. 



Underground Water Supply 



23 



MATERIAL 



Sand 

( !°ment gravel 

Clay ; 

Clay and gravel 

Gravel 

Boulders and gi avel. . 

Black flay 

Blue clay 

Black clay 

Sand 

Black rock 

Black rock and shale 

Shale 

Black rock 

Basalt 

Clay ninl gravel 

Shale 

Rock 

Basalt 

Rock 

Shale 

Black shale 

Blue shale 

Basalt 

Porous basalt 

Basalt 

Blue shale 

Gray sandstone 

Basalt 



Thickni ss 


To 


in Feet 




18 


IS 


67 


B5 


20 


105 


22 


127 


28 


155 


6 


161 


8 


169 


9 


17s 


IS 


196 


9 


205 


1!) 


234 


6 


240 


17 


257 


151 


408 


63 


471 


16 


487 


9 


496 


39 


535 


2 


537 


2 


539 


10 


549 


3 


552 


12 


564 


103 


667 


10 


677 


15 


692 


19 


711 


9 


720 


35 


755 



It is reported that water stands within 19 feet of the surface. 

Remarks. Although this well is some ten miles from 
Hanford, it represents to a certain extent the materials 
which would be encountered if deep wells were sunk in 
the region of Hanford and White Bluffs. That is to say, 
sand and gravel of the old river flood plain are found to 
the depth of about 160 feet, Clay and sand, which repre- 
sent the old underlying lake silt represented in the White 
Bluffs on the eastern side of the Columbia River, are 
encountered beneath these sands and gravels for a 
further depth of at least 40 feet. Beneath this is en- 
countered basalt and a few thin lenses of interbedded 
local lake deposits. 



LOG OF FIRST ARTESIAN WELL NEAR COLD CREEK 

Location. 16 miles southwest of White Bluffs, near 
corner of road, NWVi-SWVi Sec. 26, T. 13 N., R, 24 E. 
Archie Brown, owner. 



24 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 

Elevation. Drill hole, 1,025 feet above sea level. 
Purpose of Drilling. To obtain artesian water. 
Driller. N. C. Jannsen Drilling Company, 414 North- 
west Bank Building, Portland, Oregon. October, 1918. 

MATERIAL 



Soil 

Gravel and boulders 

Hard basalt 

Water cavity (6 inches) 

Material (?) 

Sandstone 

Bine shale 

Sand 

Blue shale 

Brown shale 

Green shale 

Honeycomb and water-bearing rock 



Artesian water struck at depth of €68 feet. Plow of approxi- 
mately 2,003 gallons of water per minute, 40 pounds pressure. 
This well is being used to irrigate ia field of alfalfa. 

Remarks. This well is located in a syncline which 
plunges to the east. The well enters basalt at the depth 
of 180 feet and passes through shale and sandstone which 
represent an intercalated lake deposit, for basalt is again 
encountered at the depth of 598 feet. The artesian water 
issues from "honeycomb," or cellular basalt, and from 
the coarser material of this interbedded lake deposit. 

To the north of this location are extensive exposures 
of basalt layers, which have been thrown into a great 
fold or anticline. The basalt layers dip almost vertically 
into the Columbia River and are folded over so that the 
southern dips are more gentle. Several miles to the 
south of Cold Creek is another east-west anticline or 
fold. Thus the well is located in a syncline or structural 
trough which lies between the anticlines. The anticlines 
and the syncline plunge as a whole to the east. 

Surface waters have probably entered the basalt to 
the west, especially the cellular portion and the inter- 
bedded sands of a lake deposit, and have passed down- 
ward toward the east in this trough or syncline and have 



I nderground Water Supply 



'_'.) 



I n\ [SION OF ( rEI I] OOI 



I Iulletin No. 26. Plate 1 1 1 



•i .V 



M . ■ \ 






V / 



■Ml-. ,^. 



_#*- 



m 



% 



* "f, * 






'. c 



jfll 



a. An exposure of sand and gravel near Coyote Rapids. This is the sort of 
material through which the ground water of the region passes. 




b. Water being pumped from well No. 60 by electric power. 



26 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 

thus been trapped far beneath the surface, accumulating 
for thousands of years. Any well drilled in this par- 
ticular location, namely, in this syncline which enters the 
rock horizon in which the water is trapped and under 
pressure, will undoubtedly give artesian flow. Just how 
long such artesian water may last depends upon the 
source of supply, which has not yet been accurately de- 
termined; but which probably lies to the west and con- 
sists of meteoric waters, or that water which falls upon 
the surface of the ground and enters it, passing to a 
greater depth. The source of this water and the problem 
connected with this supply is an entirely different prob- 
lem from that in the region of White Bluffs and Hanf ord. 
In the fall of 1921 a second well was drilled by the 
same people one-half mile west of this first well and a 
similar flow of artesian water was obtained. 

INTERPRETATION OP DATA 

The elevation of the water in the wells at the time 
they were examined varied only within a narrow limit. 
The well in which the water was lowest in elevation (350 
feet above sea level) is situated in the southern part of 
the area, near the river at its lowest point. The highest 
elevation of water in a well was 407 feet, and it is located 
in a place where there is undoubtedly a certain amount 
of leakage from the Hanford Irrigation Ditch. The 
average elevation of the level of the water in the wells 
measured was 381 feet. 

The water table is the top surface of the zone in which 
the sands and gravels are saturated with water. "Where 
this is reached in a well, the water will seep rapidly out 
of the surrounding gravel and fill up the well to the 
ground water level or the level of the water table. 

The elevation of the water table was higher than the 
river level at the time the data were collected, as may be 
seen by studying carefully the accompanying map. This 



Underground Water Supply 27 

feature may be accounted for by considering thai the 
gravels were filled when the water in the river was high. 
Then the river fell rapidly and the ground water escaped 
more gradually through the alluvium. One particular 
point of discharge was in Section 23, Township 13, Range 
27, where the water escaped as springs or seepages along 
the river bank and flowed back into the river. 

The surface of the ground is shown by the contour 
lines and their elevation. The water table does not con- 
form to the surface of the ground in detail over this area. 
The water table is independent of this feature and ap- 
pears to be a fairly level surface. 

Along the region bordering the Hanford Irrigation 
Ditch the water table was found to be higher than else- 
where, for the ditch leaked and its w r ater saturated the 
ground locally. This water had gradually soaked into 
the ground and had joined the water table, forming a 
part of it. If the ditch had been left dry for some time it 
is quite probable that the level of this local water table 
would have been lowered and would have finally con- 
formed to that of the rest of the area. 

In order that a well may contain water it should be 
deep enough to pass through the ground w T ater level, or 
water table. The wells of the area vary in depth — those 
on the higher points (topographically) are deeper to 
water than those on the lower points. Omitting the 
deeper wells (Nos. 169, 170, 171 and 158), the average 
depth to water, measured from the surface of the ground, 
was 28 feet for the wells sounded. In the case of Xos. 
169, 170, and 171, where the depths to water were 141, 94, 
and 92 feet, respectively, the water elevation above sea 
level was 396 feet in each case, which was about the same 
as that in the other wells of the same district, and only 
10 feet above river elevation taken at that time. 

In the data list included in this report, comparison 
has been made of the water elevation in each well and 



28 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 

the river elevation at a point in the river nearest the 
well. This shows the position of the water table in 
reference to the stream which parallels, in a general way, 
the direction of flow of the underground water. The 
source of the water in each particular well, however, may 
be at a point considerably higher up stream than that 
point from which this river elevation was taken. 

The amount of water in each well may be found by 
subtracting the depth to water from the depth to the 
bottom. The average depth of water was 7 feet in the 
wells sounded. 

FLUCTUATION OF THE WATER TABLE 

It is generally reported that the elevation of the water 
in the wells rises and lowers exactly with the rising and 
lowering of the river level, but not with as great a magni- 
tude. The total fluctuation of the river level is about 20 
feet during the entire year, while the fluctuation of the 
level of the water in the wells appears to be about 10 feet, 
although this latter information is not as definitely re- 
corded as that of the river level. This indicates that the 
source of the underground water in the region of White 
Bluffs and Hanford is the Columbia River, which charges 
the gravels when it is high. As the river lowers, the 
gravels are drained and thus the water table is likewise 
lowered. The time of the rise of the water table is im- 
portant in relation to the use of the water for irrigation 
purposes. The following curves explain graphically this 
relation. The fluctuation of the river level is compared 
with the amount of water which has been used for irriga- 
tion purposes from the ditch, which shows the two prac- 
tically to coincide. 

FLOOR OF THE GROUND WATER 

From a study of the geological formations and their 
structure in this region, together with a study of the 
deep well at Eingold, general conclusions are thus 



30 Bulletin No. 26, Division of Geology 

reached, relating to the nature of the material which 
underlies the alluvial plain. 

If deeper wells should be put down in the immediate 
vicinity of White Bluffs and Hanford, they would prob- 
ably pass through the sand and gravel of the old river 
flood plain at an elevation of approximately 300 feet 
above sea level. 

After passing through the gravel of this old flood 
plain, clay and fine sand would probably be encountered, 
and this might be expected to vary in thickness, but 
underlying it in turn would undoubtedly occur basalt at 
an elevation of about 200 feet above sea level. 

SEEPAGES AND FLOWING SPRINGS ON THE BANK OF THE 
COLUMBIA RIVER 

For a half mile along the bank of the Columbia River 
(Section 23, Township 13, Range 27), seepages and flow- 
ing springs were issuing water, during the time they were 
visited, from the low bluff at a point ten feet above the 
river level and at an elevation of 365 feet. This eleva- 
tion is only a little lower than the elevation of the water 
table in the vicinity of the seepages. The material from 
which they flowed consisted of clay, sand, and some 
gravel. Lying above this ground water discharge, were 
found 15 to 20 feet of alluvial material, such as sand, 
gravel, and soil. It may be noticed from a study of the 
map that the location of these seepages is only one-half 
mile below the point at which the proposed drain inter- 
sects the river bank. The proposed drain follows, in gen- 
eral, the surface swampy areas or seepage lands which 
lie parallel to the Hanford Irrigation Ditch. The drain 
as proposed is to carry off the surplus water which leaks 
from the irrigation ditch and forms local swamps along 
this area. 

The water discharge of the springs on the bank of the 
Columbia River appear to be greater in quantity than 



Underground Water Supply 31 

the water in the ditch. It is reported by persons whose 
observations can no doubt be trusted, that the seepages 
occurred before the irrigation ditch was constructed. It 

appears, therefore, that they represent the run-off from 
the general water table of the area. They may be 
charged to a certain extent by the leakage waters of the 
irrigation ditch, but they cannot come entirely from that 
source. 

It is significant, therefore, that the Columbia River 
at this point at least, and probably along the bank for 
several miles, does not enter and does not charge these 
gravels at least during this particular time of the year. 
The elevation of these seepages, however, was lower by 
about 20 feet than the water level of the Columbia River 
in the region about Coyote Rapids. The level of the 
Columbia River at this time of the year is lower by 
nearly 20 feet than it was during the summer months. 
If the source of the water in the region is the Columbia 
River, the water must, therefore, enter the gravels at 
points upstream from the location of the seepage, and 
probably in the region above Coyote Rapids, where 
coarse alluvial gravels exist on the south bank such as 
in the region of China Bar. The intake area may also 
be below Coyote Rapids above the bend in the river. 

The source of the water in these springs is, there- 
fore, undoubtedly the same source as that of the under- 
ground water of this region. Since there is a 65 per cent 
loss by leakage and evaporation from the irrigation 
ditch, the supply may partly be affected by the leakage 
from the irrigation ditch and from additional seepage 
from the irrigation waters taken from the ditch and 
placed on the land where it soaks rapidly into the ground 
again. 



SOURCE OF THE UNDERGROUND WATER 

PRINCIPAL SUPPLY 

The principal supply of the underground water of 
this area is undoubtedly from the Columbia River. The 
evidences of this are: (1) That the ground water level 
or water table fluctuates with the river. (2) That the 
elevation of the water table corresponds with the eleva- 
tion of the river. (3) That the composition and structure 
of the materials of the alluvial plain would allow water 
from the river during its higher periods to enter the 
gravels. (4) That the gravels lie in the old channels of 
the ancient river, leaving natural underground seepage 
channels to exist. 

SECONDARY SUPPLY 

A secondary source of supply is that of the meteoric 
waters or that water which falls as rain or snow upon 
the surface of the ground. This source is quite small. 

LOCAL SUPPLY 

In addition to this supply the leakage water from the 
Hanford Irrigation Ditch undoubtedly adds to the 
ground water of the region. Material effect from this 
is principally in the zone immediately bordering the 
canal. It is recorded that 65 per cent of the water which 
goes into the ditch is lost by evaporation and leakage. 
All the water used for irrigation that is not lost through 
evaporation, enters the ground and adds to the ground 
water supply. 

POSSIBLE SUPPLY 

There is another possible source of the ground water. 
This is a possible ascending leakage from an artesian 
supply below. An artesian basin exists in the region of the 
syncline in basalt indicated on the map — near the present 



Underground Water Supply ■">."! 

flowing artesian well. Such trapped waters mighl pos- 
sibly enter into the upper ground water zone by upward 
penetration through openings in the rocks from pressure 
of the trapped artesian below. This, however, would 
not probably affect the region under consideration be- 
cause it lies north of Gable Mountain, which would serve 
as a barrier to such migration of waters. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 

LOCATION OF WATER WELLS FOR IRRIGATION 

Before wells are dug in the future, in the vicinity of 
White Bluffs and Hanford, the accompanying map, as 
well as this report, should be consulted, but unless cor- 
rect interpretation is made, this map can be of little use. 
In the first place, the depth of water, which should be 
encountered in a well, will vary according to the varying 
level of the water table of the district. The elevation of 
the water table as given in the present wells and shown 
on this map refer only to the position of the water table 
during the time interval in which the data were collected. 
Two elevations should be obtained before a new well is 
dug: (1) the elevation of the surface of the ground at the 
point at which the hole is to be drilled, and (2) the eleva- 
tion of the water level in the older wells of the neighbor- 
hood. The depth of the hole necessary to encounter water 
would have to be the difference between the surface eleva- 
tion of the ground and the elevation of the water level 
thus obtained. The depth of the water necessary in the 
well should be great enough to insure water during the 
entire year. This would mean that if water is obtained 
in the well when the water table is at its lowest level, 
there will be assurance of an abundant supply of water 
in the well, for purposes of irrigation, at the time 
when the water table is at its highest point. Before a 
well is drilled, therefore, the time of year and the height 
of the river should be considered in relation to the in- 
formation given in this report. 

There may be a few cases in this territory in which 
the wells will not prove satisfactory on account of local 
conditions. These local conditions might consist of local 
deposits of clay which might cut off or deviate to a cer- 
tain extent the migration of underground water. Before 



Underground Water Supply 35 

poor wells are thus accounted for, however, exact in- 
formation regarding the proper elevation of the water 

table at that particular place should be obtained and a 
comparison made to the elevation of the depth of the 
poor well, so that there would be assurance that the well 
had penetrated the water table level. 

UP -KEEP OF THE WELLS 

In order to insure decent conditions over this entire 
area, the wells should be kept in good condition or sealed 
off entirely. In the first place, safety should he con- 
sidered vital. In a great many cases the present wells 
are very unsafe in that they are not properly covered, 
or the entrance is not properly guarded, so that children 
as well as stock may easily fall into them. 

Another important feature is that of sanitation. If 
one well is polluted, it is quite possible that other wells, 
especially those in the immediate vicinity, will be in- 
fected from this first well. The underground water 
passes through sands and gravels and is filtered to a 
great extent, but since it is known to pass rapidly through 
very large interstices between the boulders, it might 
readily carry bacteria and germs of various sorts. 
Although this feature has not been accurately examined, 
it should be taken into careful consideration, especially 
since further settlement of this territory is to be made 
by soldiers and their families. A number of the wells at 
the present time contain dead animals, such as jack 
rabbits, which give rise to conditions which are at least 
unsanitary. 



INDEX. 



Par/' 

Alluvium I -' 

Anticline 11, 21 

Artesian well, basin of 29 

First 23 

Second 2G 

Basalt 12, 13, 15 

Benton County 7 

Bibliography 9, 10 

Brown, Archie (Owner of artesian well) 23 

China Bar 13, 31 

("old Creek, artesian wells of 23 

Columbia River, during' the Glacial period 1 :: 

Rise and fall of 21 

Relation to well water 27 

Conclusions 2 

Consumers' Ditch Company S 

Coyote Rapids 16, 31 

Crab Creek 15 

Deltaic alluvial plain 12 

Deep wells 27 

Depth of w^ells IS, 20 

Discharge 30 

Domestic wells 17, 18-20 

Elevation (also see tabulation data) 18-20 

Average of water in wells 20 

Ellensburg formation 15 

Explanation of data 16 

Gable Butte 12 

Gable Mountain 12 

Geologic features, general discussion of 12 

Represented on map 11 

Geological formations, description of 12 

Geological history 15 

Glacial period 13 

Grand Coulee 15 

Gravel bars 13 

Hamford irrigation ditch, leakage of 27, 30 

Hanford, location of 7 

Han ford Sub-station 16 

Interpretation of well data 26 

Irrigation, acreage of 18, 20 

Amount required 8 

Location of wells for 21 

Wells of 18-20 

Jannsen Drilling Co 22, 23 

Kennewick 7 

Bake beds 15 

Location of area 7 

Location of the wells 18-20,34 

Log of well at Cold Creek 23 

Well at Ringold 22 

Map. explanation of 10 

Non-irrigable hills 11 

Pleistocene age 15 



38 Index 



Page 

Pliocene age 15 

Priest Rapids 13 

Proposed drain 30 

Published material 9,10 

Pump, recommended 9 

Purpose of the report 7 

Rattlesnake Hills 12 

Recommendations 34 

Replenishment of well 22 

Richland 13 

Ringold formation 15 

Ring-old, well of 22 

Saddle Mountain 13 

Sanitation 31 

Sanf ord, Charles M 4 

Sedimentary formation 12 

Seepages 27, 30 

Soldier Land Settlement Project, lands of 11 

Plan of 8 

Relative to 7 

Source of underground water 32 

Source of data 9 

Springs 27-30 

Supply of underground water — 

Local 32 

Possible 32 

Principal S? 

Secondary 32 

Syncline 11, 24 

Tabulation of well data 16-24 

Up-keep of wells 35 

Water table 16-30 

Definition of 26 

Elevation of 26 

Floor of 2S 

Fluctuation of 28 

Wells — 

Adamson, W. R., Well No. 21 li 

Agnew, U. S., Well No. 136 ' 19 

Allard, S., Well No. 146 20 

Anderson, E., Well No. 73 19 

Angle, C. N., Well No. 133 20 

Anglin, N. P., Well No. 33 18 

Austin Bros., Well No. 151 20 

Austin Bros., Well No. 152 20 

Badger, F. I., Well No. 131 19 

Barge, R. D., Well No. 88 19 

Beeg, C, Well No. 18 18 

Belden, L. W., Well No. 123 19 

Bishop, L. E., Well No. 124 19 

Blackler, John, Well No. 43 18 

Bleakley, J. F., Well No. 69 19 

Boie, H. K., Well No. 56 18 

Bonn, F. J., Well No. 122 19 

Brannick, M. S., Well No. 121 19 

Brice, Well No. 96 19 

Briggs, C. E., Well No. 51 18 

Briscoe, S. M., Well No. 101 19 



Index 39 



Wells —Continued. Pag< 

Brooks. L. T., Well No. S 18 

Brown. A.. Well No. 158 20 

Brown, H.. Well No. 12 is 

Brown, Thos., Well No. 172 20 

Buckholdt, D. C, Well No. 14 18 

Burch, D. .1. Well No. 166 20 

Burford, G. E., Well No. 26 18 

Clark, J. M., Well No. 30 Is 

Clark, L. H.. Well No. 27 18 

Codding'. L. A., Well No. 132 20 

Coleman, C. C, Well No. 99 19 

Coleman, E. C., Well No. 70 1 H 

Coleman, J. E., Well No. 166 20 

Conkle. J. F.. Well No. 22 18 

Cords. E., Well No. HI 20 

Coulson. Wm., Well No. 144 20 

Damyer, C, Well No. 137 20 

Daregio, C, Well No. 28 18 

Daregio, C, Well No. 58 is 

Daregio, C, Well No. 176 20 

Daregio, Well No. 178 20 

De Veurve, J. H., Well No. 60 IS 

De Veurve, J. H.. Well No. 61 IS 

Edwards, F. D.. Well No. 100 5 9 

Eilertson. C, Well No. 91 19 

Eilertson. H.. Well No. 173 20 

Ely, A. W.. Well No. 59 IS 

Evett. A. G., Well No. 32 IS 

Evett, J. E., Well No. 31 IS 

Fanning, S. V.. Well. No. 117 1 9 

Fitzgibbon. Well No. 130 19 

Fry, L. N., Well No. 149 20 

Garce, S., Well No. 175 20 

Grant, E., Well No. 15 IS 

Grant, K. E.. Well No. 67 19 

Greenfield, Well No. 140 20 

Gregory, Wm., Well No. 103 19 

Grell, A., Well No. 63 IS 

Gross, M. W.. Well No. 39 IS 

Gruenhayen, R. W.. Well No. S4 19 

Hall Bros., Well No. 139 20 

Hanford Ranch. Well No. 74 19 

Han ford Ranch, Well No. 75 19 

Hart. C, Well No. 19 18 

Hawley, I., Well No. 87 19 

Haynes. M. B.. Well No. 162 20 

Heath, T. H.. W T ell No. 17 IS 

Henry, H. C, Well No. 167 20 

Henslay. F. N., Well No. 174 20 

Hicks, F. B., Well No. 16 IS 

Hill, F. M.. Well No. 159 20 

Hill, Well No. ISO 20 

Horman, A. E.. Well No. 110 19 

Horman, A. E., Well No. Ill 19 

Houck. M. E., Well No. 98 19 

Hunt. A. E., Well No. 105 J 9 

Jeager, O. H.. Well No. 154 20 

Johnson, C. M„ Well No. 118 19 



40 Index 



Wells — Continued. Page 

Johnson, J. A., Well No. 81 „ 19 

Johnston, O. W.,' Well No. 5 IS 

Jourclan, J., Well No. 69 19 

Judd, R. W., Well No. 133 19 

Keal, W. H., Well No. 163 20 

Kerr, Wm., Well No. 64 18 

Kiser, Joseph, Well No. 116 19 

Knaub, A. R., Well No. 156 20 

Knoll, A., Well No. 157 20 

Krug, L. C, Well No. 65 18 

Larson, C. N., Well No. 177 20 

Lewis, L. L., Well No. 104 19 

Loson, John, Well No. 49 18 

Loveland, E. N., Well No. 126 19 

McConnachie, A., Well No. 36 IS 

McConnachie, G., Well No. 35 18 

McDonnell, R. W., Well No. 23 IS 

McDonnell, R. W., Well No. 24 IS 

McPee, J., Well No. 91 19 

McGlaughlin, C. L., Well No. 38 IS 

McKay, Wm., Well No. 78 19 

McMurry, I., Well No. S3 19 

Macomber, J., Well No. 37 18 

Meeks, M. S., Well No. 13S 20 

Mikel, Well No. 164 20 

Miller, L. J., Well No. 147 ... 20 

Miller Ranch, Well No. 148 20 

Moede, Wm., Well No. 142 20 

Moore, Well No. 170 20 

Morrison, W. P., Well No. 52 IS 

Mowell, J. W., Well No. 106 19 

Nichols, Rob., Well No. 20 18 

Mitzsche, Robt., Well No. 112 19 

O'Brien, M. F., Well No. 92 19 

Olleman, P. E., Well No. 5 IS 

Paschen, H. F., Well No. 1 18 

Peck, A. P., Well No. 119 , 19 

Rackliff, C, Well No. 76 19 

Rackliff, C, Well No. 71 19 

Remlinger, E. P., Well No. 150 '. . . 20 

Richard, C. C, Well No. 85 19 

Richmond, J. P., Well No. 155 20 

Rieg-le, A., Well No. 3 , IS 

Roberts, R. J., Well No. 145 20 

Robertson, Well No. 171 20 

Robinson, H. E., Well No. 125 19 

Rolph, C, Well No. 44 1* 

Rolph, W. H., Well No. 45 18 

Root, B. C, Well No. 47 IS 

Root, C. G., Well No. 48 18 

Salvina, B., Well No. 4 IS 

Salvina, C, Well No. 102 19 

Sapp, R. D., Well No. 169 20 

School, Well No. 9 18 

Shaw. G. W., Well No. 93 19 

Showalter, N. D., Well No. 72 19 

Simpson, A., "Well No. 34 18 

Slavins, G. T., Well No. 42 IS 



Index 41 

Wells—* Concluded. Pape 

Slavone, M. R., Well No. 160 20 

SI.. an. c. \\\. Well No. I''. is 

Smith, Jay, Well No. 13 is 

Snyder, C, Well No. 7 LS 

Stephenson, A., Well No. 55 in 

Syfford, J. C, Well No. H is 

Taj lor, M.. Well No. 71 is 

Tedford, J. E., Well No. 114 i:i 

Town Well No. 1. Well No. 107 L9 

Town Well No. 2. Well No. 108 19 

Tromanhauser, J. B., Well No. 89 19 

Tromanhauser, J. B., Well No. 90 19 

Tromanhauser, J.. Well No. 94 19 

Tromanhauser, J.. Well No. 95 19 

Van Akin, R. H.. Well No. 129 19 

Van Akin, Well No. 179 20 

Von Herberg, I., Well No. 153 20 

Van Vlete, Well No. 113 19 

Wade, E.. Well No. 128 lit 

Wagner, Ed., Well No. 168 20 

Weber. J. I'.. Well No. 79 19 

Webber, W. S., Well No. 50 18 

Wehmeier, W. H.. Well No. 29 is 

Weil, F. M., Well No. 135 20 

Wenner. F.. Well No. 62 18 

Whaley & Gregg", Well No. 161 20 

Wheeler, A., Well No. 2 18 

Whelan, Mark. Well No. 53 .- 18 

Whelan, Mark. Well No. 54 IS 

Whitney. Chas., Well No. 82 19 

Whitney. Chas., Well No. 86 19 

Williams. R. M., Well No. 127 19 

Williams. Thus.. Well No. SO 19 

Wilson, Well No. 165 20 

Witte, J.. Well No. in 18 

Witte, J.. Well No. 11 IS 

Woods, R. R„ Well No. 12o 19 

W. P. Inv. Co.. Well No. 109 19 

Wright, I.. Well No. 143 20 

Zane, A. H., Well No. 59 IS 

White Bluffs, location of 7 

Escarpment of 12 

Wilkinson, D. S 9 



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